Daily Devotional – May 18

Biology

The oceans are full of amazing creatures, but none are masters of disguise like the cuttlefish. This creature has been coined “The King of Camouflage.” It can distort its body into 40 different body shapes mimicking everything from a starfish to a squid; change its skin texture to mimic its background like corals, kelps or rocks; display a dizzying array of motions from swaying seaweed to swimming fish; change colors across the spectrum from red to blue to yellow; and flash zebralike patterns across its body. And all of these colors, textures, shapes, and patterns can be changed within seconds!

One scientist studying the cuttlefish was amazed as he watched each cuttlefish transform into a “tailor-made camouflage pattern” for a particular microhabitat. Two identical cuttlefish settled to the ocean bottom. One instantly took on the coloration and texture of sand and disappeared into the background. The other was only ten feet away where algae covered the ocean bottom, and it took on the coloration and texture of algae. Each of these two cuttlefish “tailor-made” its camouflage pattern.

How are cuttlefish able to do this when they cannot even see their skin? In fact, scientists believe cuttlefish are even colorblind, only seeing the color green! The scientist was right in calling these cuttlefish “tailormade”; they were tailor-made by the great Tailor, God Himself!

The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

~ Psalm 97:1

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.